Notts stun Sussex as Odedra inspires her side

Nottinghamshire have enjoyed playing Sussex in the County Championship of late. In 2017 they comprehensively beat the South Coast side. They appeared to be doing the same today. At one point reduced Sussex to 29 for 6. The score today didn’t reflect just how well they performed in the field. The final margin of victory was 23 runs.

It was again another stubbon innings by Carla Rudd and the wicketkeeper nearly ensured a famous victory for her side.

Sonia Odedra was the star with the ball. She bowled straight through her ten overs and took the first four wickets of the innings. Georgia Adams the Sussex captain was the first wicket to fall for 2 caught at extra cover.

It was an inspired spell from the Notts skipper. When she batted in the first innings she received what looked a dubious lbw. She channelled that frustration and took it out on the Sussex top order.

Sophie Munro the young fast bowler bowled tightly in tandem and was unlucky not to take a wicket. With her spell over Notts turned to the services of Jenny Gunn. It took a sharp catch from Amy Gauvrit at slip to see off Paige Scholfield for a duck for Gunn her first wicket.

Odedra had bowled out with 4 for 13 under belt wickets still tumbled her end of the ground. Rebecca Widdowson who took a year out last season took a wicket with her third ball. Linsey Smith received a delivery that didn't get un and was bowled.

Ella Wadey helped turn the game with Carla Rudd yesterday but could not do the same today. Although, she helped to get the score moving with 3 fours before skying a catch to Gunn to give Jodie Cook her first wicket.

Rudd refused to budge and firstly with Freya Davies and then Tara Norris they started to believe they could win the game. Norris and Rudd added 40 for the ninth wicket. Sussex won with a wicket to spare yesterday and there was a hush of anticipation in the crowd that it could be done again.

It was Lucy Higham who ended the home teams hopes as first she first had Norris caught at long on by Teresa Graves for 24. While Rudd was still there anything was possible. She was dismissed lbw by Higham to end a hard-fought match.

Sussex had earlier won the toss and asked Nottinghamshire to bat. Like Sussex, Notts top order faltered with Odera and Sarah Bryce dismissed in the first four overs. Cook and Yvonne Graves steadied things, batting together into the ninteenth over but both were gone within consecutive balls.

At the halfway stage Notts were 67 for 4 Gunn and Teresa Graves shared in a partnership of 53 for the fifth wicket. It gave Notts a platform to build on. Higham with 28 ensured they got to 150. Notts, However, lost their last three wickets for just 18 runs as Norris came back into the attack.

With 11 balls not used of the Notts innings, it was always going to be tough to win against a good Sussex side. Notts showed is that this year's county championship is perfectly unpredictable.